Rockford man gets five years for beating of elderly woman

Friday

Jul 18, 2014 at 4:11 PMJul 18, 2014 at 4:17 PM

ROCKFORD — Judge Rosemary Collins sentenced a man to five years in prison for the December 2013 beating of an elderly woman.

Harry O. Lawrence, 43, of Rockford, punched the 80-year-old woman in the chest and shoulder when she attempted to stop him from taking what she thought were too many prescription drugs, Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato said in a news release.

Lawrence entered a guilty plea May 12 to a charge of aggravated battery as part of an agreement with prosecutors in which aggravated domestic battery charges were dropped.

Aggravated battery is a Class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in prison but because the victim was over 60, extended term sentencing was possible.